Chain
by SheDreamsInIndigo
Summary: It's an odd group of people, and an even odder assortment of charms. The history behind a charm necklace belonging to one of the bohos. Canon couples, early character death. Better summary inside!


AN: Hey Everybody!! Welcome to my first ever Rent fic AND my first ever chapter fic!! Holidays are just starting where I am, so I'll have lots of free time, so I figured I'd try my hand at something other than a one shot :P

Canon pairings, and early character death, even though said dead character still features in it :)..There'll be a longer note at the end of this chapter…anyways, ENJOY!

Disclaimer: I don't own RENT…If I did, Angel wouldn't die, Mark would find someone, and there'd be a cure for AIDS..

* * *

In his own mind, he was alone in the loft.

He knew he wasn't, really. Collins was sitting by the window, staring into nothingness, his expression carefully blank.

Joanne was slumped in the doorway. He hadn't brought himself to look at her; he knew that when he did she would shift awkwardly and her eyes would dart away, focusing on anything but him.

Mark was sprawled across the sofa, carefully playing with the frayed ends of his scarf with intense concentration. He pretended, mainly for his own sake, that he couldn't see Mark's hands trembling.

Maureen was sitting on the dusty wooden floorboards, slap-bang in the middle of the loft, legs crossed, hands folded, completely still. She hadn't moved at all in the past half an hour, barely even blinking or breathing. He vaguely wondered if she was trying to mimic his heart. It too had seemed to stop.

Roger blinked hard a few times. No, he was not alone in the loft in the literal sense. More of the shitty, metaphorical sense. No one spoke. No one acknowledged another soul was in the room. He might as well have been alone. He just wanted to be alone. Why couldn't they all just leave him _alone_?

"_Because they don't want you to go back" _whispered a tiny voice in his head, muffled slightly by stinging grief. _"Back the way you were before. Reclusive. Aggressive…A junkie…" _The voice is silenced by a sharp thud of his heart. Mimi had been just like Roger. But he'd helped her through her drug addiction. He had, almost unintentionally, brought her into the light…and she had done the same for him.

He'd never really thought about the fact that when Mimi would die he'd be plunged back into darkness- a tormenting, black wave. No, a rip. An ocean rip that pulls you in and won't let you go until you can no longer breathe.

Christ, he loved her. He'd do _anything_ to see her alive again. Hell, he'd do _anything_ just for one tiny piece of her soul, a keepsake. A memory.

Suddenly he realizes that he's got one. And it's sitting right in front of him.

He takes a few slow, cautious steps towards the cold silver table, on which Mimi's most cherished possession gleams slightly. A sob breaks its way through his teeth. Joanne sniffles slightly. All eyes turn to Roger.

The charm necklace sits on the table top, sparkling slightly, almost tauntingly, in the afternoon sun that seeps through closed curtains like a sickness.

Roger reaches out to the chain, caressing each pendant, staring almost reverently. The five bohemians slowly move to join Roger, standing in a small circle around the necklace.

It's an odd group of people, and an even odder assortment of charms

A dirty looking seashell.

An Orange guitar pick.

A small, pink hoop-earring.

A bottle cap.

A few threads woven into a braid.

And a straight, thin metal arrow.

But each person and charm alike has a story.

A lock of dirty blonde hair fell in Roger's eyes, but he paid no mind to it. He simply closed his eyes…and remembered.

* * *

Well, that's the intro! D..Sorry it's a bit short.

Each chapter will be a flashback showing how Mimi got each of the pendants on her necklace from each of the bohos…like 6 oneshots. 2 are gonna be humor, 2 are gonna be fluffy and 2 are gonna be angst. So expect 6 more chapters plus an epilogue.

And to my friend, Tash: I'M SORRY FOR KILLING OFF MIMI IN THE FIRST CHAPTER!!! Lulz

Reviews are loved, flames are giggled at.

xx


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